The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1887-05-21


And 1 said: s'Owney, J am ready,
but the sad heart within me is hardly
the heart fora brlde.n
And he said, between kisses /: s'Yours
shall not be a sad heart for long, my
Norah, for am after filling. your.life
with happiness And tits father and
Aunt Katy have been planning and
talking, and all is ready, and first it's
best to take Mickey to the poorhouse. !"
I thought couldn't be rightly hear
ing. s'Mickeyl Send Mickey to the
poorhouse, Owney? Why, / am his all,
Owney. His would be no life without
me at ALL" ,gts5.,, "a, .,..s., -
ssNorah, dear, listen. "a Sather1, is q
long-headed man, and he and Aunt
Katy have reasoned it all out to me.
DO you think it Is the thing, Norah, to
have such a gibbering. slavering crea-
ture under foot in our homer Doiyou
think want to see him hanging about
my wife? Is the likes Of him pleasant
to have Or see around? He is but, "a
burden and a trouble, and it's not my
own darling Norah I'd have him fret,
ting" ~ Esae, 5j, Bg5 svst
but, Owney," said I, all cold and
trembling, feeling as if, some cruel blow
had struck me, "he's my brother my
own mothers child and on her death
bed promised to care for him always"
'And, indeed it was a wrong and
foolish promise, Norah, and had better
be broken. You have done your duty
how your duty is to me darling, and
Mickey is better off in the place for such
misfortunates. t'%@
'But, Owney," said I, ''if his own
flesh and blood will not put up with
him, how can strangers2 DO not ask
me to do this wrong to him.
And just then, Mickey, who was run
ming outside, fell-he was great STUN:
bler-and hurt himself on a stone, and
he ran into me, bowling with the pain,
for he had little control over his feel
ings.
And it was with Owney's eyes saw
him then-a poor, slavering, shambling
creature always care and burden.
And Owney. sore vexed, put out his
foot and pushed him off. sect out of
this, you sniveling fool, " he said.
Mickey, frightened, stood still, hold
ing breath, then he turned to me with a
sharp cry: Come, Mickeyi'' said 1, and
he ran and put his head in my lap.
Then Owney fell right down along
side Of Mickey, gripping my hands hard,
looking up into my face with his beau
tlful eyes.
"Norah, shall this miserable creature
separate us? Oh, Norah, my love, my
life; look at me, look at hlml It's low
ing home Pm wanting to take you to,
Norah; its the wife Of my heart and the
mother Of my children want you to
be. Can you refuse me this after I've
waited SO long and so patiently2 Look
at me now-choose the one Of us, for
the two of us can never live in the same
house together. Is it Ownoy OF Mickey,
darling?"
1t seemed as if my soul were dying
within me. It's Mickey must keep
with me until he dies, Owney!n
And then Owney flung away with a
curse, and was alone with Mickey cry
ing to break my heart.
Three weeks afterward Owney mar
ried Libby Quinn. I had lost him for
ever.
The next season came the terrible
famine, and my own little trouble were
as nothing to. the awful sufferings
everywhere about me. Mickey died Of
the famine fever, and T was all alone.
Then came money from the dear boy
Larry to pay my passage to America,
and SO I came over, ma'am. You've
been patient with my ignorance Of your
ways, and, indeed, my heart is willing
to learn and do.
And I feel happy and content here,
and it is the peaceful conscience Ldesire
to keep; and were the choice mine to
make again this day, it should be. as
then, my poor, friendless Mickey.
a Sweet Tooth.